1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to commoning bars for electrically interconnecting a row of electrical contacts within a connector housing block. Generally, the present invention relates to connectors intended for the termination of flat transmission cables.
2. The Prior Art
Many connectors are commercially available for terminating flat transmission cable. In practice, many of these connectors are of the two sided variety, with the ground conductors of the transmission cable intended to be directed to one side of the connector housing and terminated to contacts therein, and the signal conductors of the transmission cable directed to the opposite side of the connector housing and terminated to terminals located therein. For such connectors, means for commoning the row of contacts which terminate the ground conductors in one side of the connector housing, are employed and typically comprise a grounding buss bar which is inserted transversely into the connector housing side to engage the ground conductors.
While the above commoning ground buss arrangement works well, in practical application, the bars are generally difficult to manufacture, and are difficult to assemble within the connector housing. Accordingly, the industry has been in need of a grounding arrangement for two sided connectors, which could conveniently be assembled to the connector housing, and which could provide positive and effective interconnection of a row of electrical contacts seated within the connector housing block. A commoning element satisfying the industry's needs, must be inexpensive to manufacture, and readily incorporated into the connector housing unit. Achievement of a suitable grounding configuration has been difficult because the connector is very densely loaded with contact terminals which terminate small guage transmission cable conductors. Resultingly, the commoning confuguration used for such a connector must be of a relatively miniature scale, which places considerable design constraints on the achievement of a commoning element which will satisfy performance requirements, yet be easily assembled to the connector unit.